A new restrospective study found no significant improvement in early wound healing when 0.8% hyaluronic acid gel was applied during dental surgeries compared with procedures performed without it.
Researchers analyzed the medical records of 45 patients who underwent either surgical tooth extraction or crown lengthening between May 2022 and December 2023. The study aimed to assess whether applying hyaluronic acid (HA) gel to the surgical site improved healing within the first few days post-surgery.
Patients were divided into two groups. One group received 1 mL of 0.8% HA gel applied immediately after surgery, while the other group followed the same surgical protocols without any topical agent. All patients were assessed between 3 and 5 days after surgery using the Inflammatory Proliferative and Remodeling (IPR) wound healing scale.
The IPR scale evaluates healing based on eight parameters: bleeding, hematoma, granulation tissue, incision closure, tissue color, pain, edema, and suppuration. A total score between 5 and 8 was considered successful early healing during the inflammatory phase.
Among patients treated with HA gel, 79.2% achieved a successful healing score, compared with 76.2% in the control group. This difference was not statistically significant.
Although fewer patients in the HA group experienced bleeding (3 vs. 7), and none developed hematomas compared with two in the control group, these differences also lacked statistical significance.
Pain, edema, and suppuration rates were similar in both groups. Four patients reported higher pain levels, equally divided between the two groups. No cases of suppuration or notable swelling were observed.
The researchers also examined patient characteristics such as age, sex, smoking status, and health conditions. These factors did not have a significant impact on healing outcomes. Healthy, nonsmoking males who underwent surgery in the posterior mandible showed slightly better healing, but the trend was not statistically significant.
The average healing score in the HA group was 5.54, compared to 5.19 in the control group.
Although HA gel is known for its anti-inflammatory and moisture-retentive properties, the study found no measurable benefit during the early inflammatory phase of healing in this setting.
Limitations of the study included its retrospective design, small sample size, and potential variability in surgical technique and patient follow-up. Researchers emphasized the need for larger, randomized trials to determine whether HA gel has a meaningful role in improving wound healing after dental procedures.
Despite its common use in dental practice, the findings suggest that 0.8% HA gel may provide limited benefit for short-term healing outcomes in routine periodontal surgeries.
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.